A Different 'Point of View'
by Picturesque Dreams
Summary: How would the Billeting Officer describe Thomas Oakley to her workmates upon her return to the office? Drabble, Two-Part
1. Chapter 1

Goodnight Mister Tom

A Different 'Point of View': The Billeting Officer

* * *

The woman was walking down the wide dirt pathway that led to the train station. Behind her was a small group of children, all quiet and forlorn. Ever since the war started, the woman was seen walking to and from the train station, delivering the children to their designated 'foster' homes. This woman was known as Little Weirworld's Billeting Officer.

She sighed softly, rubbing her aching shoulder, before continuing on. The Officer knew that she'd have to do a bothersome job today. To deliver a sniffling child to an infamous man that lived in a cottage quite a ways away.

She didn't know what the man had done in his younger years or why the folks of this town murmured softly to themselves when she told them that she was to deliver a child to him. The few people that she met on this quiet road seemed shocked when they realised that _this_ Officer was going to _his_ house.

She, however, didn't have a choice but to walk towards the cottage of this frightening, faceless, nameless man. The Officer looked down to her right side, at the young lad shuffling silently beside her. His name was Willie Beech.

The Officer felt scared for him. Scared and piteous.

She sighed again to herself, softly. _Well_, she thought, _the Mother did say that she wanted her son to be placed close to a church. And this man_, she shivered at the thought of this unknown man, _did oblige to caring for a child. There's nothing I can do…_

She saw the cottage up ahead. The children behind her still didn't make any noise, but she thought she heard a slight whimper come from Willie. She turned around and told the children behind her to wait. Gently nudging Willie forward, she walked with him towards the cottage door.

* * *

Author's Notes: Just a small drabble. Our teacher gave us Goodnight Mister Tom as our First Term English book. It's a very informative book, I suppose, but I wished it had a little bit more emotion. I was told that I would cry, but I didn't...

Anyways, we were then told to write a short drabble from a different Point of View, so I chose to do the Billeting Officer from Chapter 1 and what she though of Mister Tom Oakley. This is a two-part drabble, so watch out...


	2. Chapter 2

Goodnight Mister Tom

A Different 'Point of View': The Billeting Officer

Part 2

* * *

_How would the Billeting officer describe Tom Oakley to her workmates upon her return to the office?_

* * *

"Hello there, Officer! You here to arrest me, eh?"

A young woman was startled by the loud voice that came from a buildings window. Looking over, she saw that it was one of the lad's that worked with her at the Office, sticking his head out the window to grin at her. She smiled back weakly at him, "You know that we're Billeting Officer's. We don't exactly arrest anyone…"

Another man stuck his head out the window, snorting at her, "We do arrest children though, Officer." This man looked very serious. Almost reminding her of that Mister…

A woman then came and pushed both of the men aside. She waved at the young woman who was still standing outside, "What are you doing out there, lady? Come in already and tell us about how _your_ work was!"

The Billeting Officer nodded her head, but the other woman did not see since she had already closed the window. The young woman sighed, before looking up, standing straight and walking calmly to the office's wooden doors.

Going through the unlocked door with ease, she removed her hat and placed it on a peg. She went to remove her coat, but one of her workmates, the second one to stick his head out the window, helped her out of it. "You seem tired, milady."

"I'm fine!" the young woman replied, thanking the man for his help. He waved it off.

"So, milady," the other man came up to the two of them when they relocated to the main office area, "how _was_ work for you?"

The woman came up behind the young woman to give her a small hug, "Yeah, did you mean any attractive men over in the countryside?"

"Well," the young woman sat down on her wooden chair, "not exactly…"

"What about the children?" The first man asked excitedly, "Anything exciting happen to them?"

The other man bopped him on the head and spoke whilst noise of minor pain sounded, "Shut your trap already and let the lady talk."

The young woman looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully, clapping her hand together as if in prayer. _Well_, she thought, _I could tell them something interesting. Or, I could tell them about…_

She looked towards her female friend, "I did meet a young land. Do you remember that crazy old woman who insisted to have her son near a church?"

The female giggled, clapping her hand in front of her mouth respectfully, "Do I? Oh, that woman was so strange! Why, whatever happened to the young lad?"

"He wasn't chosen by any of the villagers in the Town Square, so I took him to the nearest church…" the woman recounted, "It was an older man's cottage. He lived near a graveyard…"

The second man snorted once again, "A graveyard?"

The first man dramatically swooned, "How frightful!" The second man bopped him again.

"The little boy, his name was Willie. William Beech." She sighed, "I was honestly scared for him… Such a scrawny little lad should not be _that_ timid. He was 9 years old… And the man that I delivered to him…" she shivered and the other woman rubbed her arms a bit, "Thomas Oakley…"

The second man titled his head, his mouth pursed, "Oakley? What're you so frightened about then, milady?"

"Oh, n-nothing!" the woman stuttered, turning beet red. The other woman giggled at her face, while the first man cooed at her. "It's just that I was so hesitant talking to him… He was awfully imposing and such, you know? He lived by a graveyard, the town folks avoided him and he was secluded to the boot…"

The woman looked up wistfully, "But, he seemed very soft on the inside… I'm sure Willie will be loved in that home. I'm sure of it."

There was silence from the workmates as they took in the young Billeting Officer's pure claim. It was broken by the first man who shrugged happily and said, "Well, I guess we'll never know! Come on now, let's get to work again!"

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, that's done. Took me longer than necessary to complete this, but oh well. At least it's done.

It's not very satisfactory and I noticed that it's quite rushed towards the end. Oh, to be honest, it's quite rushed throughout the whole piece. Maybe one day I'll revise this and maybe put in a brilliant twist just for the fun of it, but right now...

I'm sleepy.

So I hope you have a good day while I try to have a good sleep. Good night...


End file.
